Drying and stretching frame.



T. A. HARGRAVE.

DRYING AND STRETGHING FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.18,'1908.

919,007, Patented Apr.20, 1909.

3mm" for 772 am (58A Hay/n Ve ill THOMAS A. HARGRAVE, OF'GALVESTON,TEXAS.

DRYING AND 'STRETCHING FRAIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Application filed. August 18, 1908. Serial No. 449,178.

Galveston, in the county of Galveston and State of Texas, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Drving and Stretching Frames, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to a frame for drying and stretching lacecurtains and other fabrics, the object of the invention being to providea frame of this character which can be readily and conveniently adjustedto receive curtains or fabrics of different dimensions and to stretchthe same to the desired tension, which is adapted to permit of the readyand convenient a )plication and removal of the fabric to be (fried andstretched, and which is also adopted to be conveniently set up for useand taken down for package or storage in close compass.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, in which 2-- Figure 1 is aperspective View of a drying and stretching frame embodying my inventionand as set up for use. Fig. 2 is a detail longitudinal section on anenlarged scale through a portion of the same.

The device comprises four corner posts or standards 1 carrying at theirupper ends heads 2, which are threaded or otherwise detachably mountedupon the standards, but may be suitably fixed thereto. Each of theseheads is formed with a pair of transverse openings 3 and 4 extendinghorizontally therethrough and arranged at right angles to each other, asshown. The 0 enings 3 are adapted to receive the ends 0 the side rods orbars 5, and which are adapted to be adjustably secured therein by thumbscrews 6, while the openings 4 are adapted to receive the ends of endrods or bars 7 which are adapted to be adjustably secured therein bythumb screws 8.

The rods or bars 5 and 7 form a rectangular frame to receive and supportthe curtain or other article of fabric to be dried and stretched, andeach of these rods or bars carries a series of spaced hooks 9 to engageand support the ad acent ed e of the fabric. These hooks may be arrangerat any suitable .55 distance apart as occasion may require, and

may be made of any suitable material. Each hook is suspended from andslidably mounted upon the rod by a ring or collar 10, thus permittingthe same to be ad'usted. Stop devices 11 in the form of annular coilsprings are arran ed upon each rod beyond the terminal hoo s and betweenthe same and the standards, such stops serving to prevent the hooks fromslipping off the rods when the latter are disconnected from thestandards.

The frame may be adjusted as to width by the sliding engagement of therod 7 with the corner osts or standards, and it may be adjusted as tolength by the sliding engagement of the rods 5 with said posts orstandards, so that its size may be varied within reasonable limits toreceive andsupport curtains or other fabrics of different sizes. Inorder to enable the length of the frame to be additionally increased, aswell as to enable the parts to be taken down for packing in closecompass, each rod 5 is preferabl composed of two sections 5 and 5 whichare connected at their meetin ends by a couplin sleeve 12. The end 0 therod section 5 is t lireaded to fit within one end of the sleeve, whichis threaded for its rece tion, while the end of the rod section 5 isslidably fitted in the opposite end of the sleeve and is adapted to besecured therein by a binding screw 13. By this construction the rods 5may be adjusted as to length to additionally extend the frame or tostretch the curtain or fabric to a desired tension. The osts orstandards 1 may be provided at t eir lower ends with base pieces or feet14 to form a firm and steady sup ort for the erected frame.

In opera ion, the frame is set up in the manner shown in Fig. 1 and thebars or rods adjusted to make the frame of slightly less dimensions thanthe curtain to be dried and stretched. The hooks are then enga ed withthe ed es of the curtain to secure t e same to the ame, and then theparts are adjusted to increase the dimensions of the frame to asufficient extent to make the curtain taut. After use the parts of thedevice may be disassembled in an obvious manner and the sections of therods 5 uncoupled, thus enabling the parts to be placed in close compassfor storage or transportation. The sprlng stop bands or rings 11preferably grip the rods with sufficient friction to revent displacementthereof, but may be y the exercise of slight force pulled ofl the rodsto enable the engiaging devices slidably engaging the rods, hooks to bedisengaged therefrom Whenever an resi ient bands slidably fitted on eachrod desired. beyond the terminal supporting. devices and Havin thusfully described the invention, 0 crating as stops to retaln said devicesupon 15 5, what is c aimed as new is t e rod.

A curtain drier and stretcher embodying In testimony whereof I affix mysignature a rectangular frame comprising corner osts in presence of twowitnesses. or standards, side and end rods sli ably THOS. A. HARGRAVE.

engaging said posts 'or standards for varying Witnesses: 10 thedimensions of the frame, means for securg JOHN ANELLO,

' ing the parts in adjusted posltion, curtain E R. EVERS.

